Hood latch



Aug. Z5, 1931. N. A. MEARs E'rAL 1,820,238

' ooDLATcH Filed May l0. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheen 1 1? y Mw m Au-g. 25, V1931. N. A. MEARs ET AL 1,820,255

` Hoon Luca Filed May lO. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 aw.. y

,Illia/7291i 1 irdriif im@ or diremo,immers;Assicmns i e CHILCAGO- FORGINTG-@Meweeelfme Q4 il* `Patented 1931l 'y l 'F invention rel-@testo loclrfirlgor?lvacfhi mg-'men'sor 'clos-wesen@ is herein' shown as posei's the prqvisionfofsimpleqandeesily Opf-j zThe 'inventlons illustr diagremmatically drawingsgrwvliere -fted more ofless "FigureV isf an. 'nterioreleieti Figure 3 is a, section onthevli 'Figure-Qty: 1 ,g. f

@Figfnre @Quisafnl interior elevation varient'form.:A

f tionsor:(:1a11ls-,B1Bledaptedtoi engage lock'-l .ing abutments B2- B2, hereiny shown" as mount# f edlv on the members A4, lizwnggpthev faces 'Bs s linc1ineol-uliwardly andeinwardlyfrom the *50 hood; 1. B1 indicates as projection ret theup:

v'n j the; accompanying diceted as" By havingf the terminali offset porper endf' ofeach fsuchf face. The rock rsh-'aft' maygb'emountedlas on apluralitysof-terminal bearing members B4 at V'pll'lrality of fadjacentcentralbearing members B5. -"Between the central niemloers the' rock shaftI is indicted'es' o'se't orfdcformedet as'gthis offsetf portion incl-nding lwhat laiLYk be Acalled. a'

camportion B7 which mybe more' or less` cufrvedja's shown.-for-e`2ample inFigure 4." Y

` 1C: indicates Va ,shaft With vthefexteiorf han?rv dleCl, fthe; 'shaft f pssing thro'u'ghithe hood; Atjitsinner.chills-mounted the cm'ine'mber generally indicated as G'which myhmgefth li'oolarA or horn 103 adapted to, cooperite vwith fh@ penne Biofijliey esserne. fifisfurther provided with any apronl Bsvwlhichfwhenthef kdevice is in. v locking 'p'ositio1`15--l as` yShown.y in

, ins Vim@ ythef1.111jiine positionef,iaigurek p f 4 5 'The ang'e B9 of the-apron B8 'engages th'esid'e BT ofl thel offset; and 'limits further' counter-clockwise" movement; l taking j v the `f partsin the Positionin Whichthey'alreshown l if. n i 1n FigurefuY Thislimit is pr'eferfhly'soajr l -v der'stoo'dthat When the parts are inthe-full? line lposition' V'in "Whichv they kl'fe show nlin result iis 'che drawing dowhwardiy and in:

ed to hold the parts tion and thus' rotates; the 'entire y,rock I shaft ylrfsiic'h fashion` asto Withdraw thefcrzinks B1.

from the aloutmentsQBZ.` The cam body-- and al)lOl-GIVES are'sorpropotioned feto limit the wardify @f .thefiqwer edge of the hood: f B12. ii yindicates:i'depifession in theapronBsga-idapt-Q ,y v

rota-tion' of the hendleto an are of 180 defgree's,' in such fashion that thehandle is in l horizontalposition when thecrifnks1 have g beenremoved to" inoperative position' andis therefore in rthe most convenient position'for the manual lifting of the now released hood. D indicates an additional stop whichmay be mounted for example on the frame A2, ex-

tion in which it is shown in Figure 4 the` member D2 slides over the inclined portionV D1, which serves to guide it, and abuts against the member D, thus ho'ldingthe lower edge of the hood from outward movement.

It may be desirable to vemploy yielding means to prevent rattling of the parts and also to compensate for irregularities in as-` sembly of the parts Thus in Figure 7 we illustrate a spring E which may be compressed between the inner Vface of the hood and the cam member generally indicatedas C2,slidably mounted upon the square portion C19 ofthe shaft C. y

Inrthe variant form of Figure 8 the camv member C2Vmayy be mounted slidably on the reduced square portionIil2 of the shaft on which-the handle C1 is mounted. The reduced portion is shownas lprovided with a head E3 and a spring E4 is compressed between the head'Fi3 and the camk member G2. The spring E* may also aid in thelocking effect ofthe engagement ofthe depression B10 andthe member B7. E1 is a spacing sleeve which may also serve for mounting the shaft C] to thehood memberA1. Such yielding means areto be taken as examples of preventing excessive strain of the rock shaft B owing to irregularities of mounting of the locking abutments B2. As illustrated in dotted-lines in Figure 7, the cam portion Bv7 of the rock` shaft tilts the cam member G2 and bendingand deforming of the rock shaftB is thus made unlikely. Y t `Such yielding means are also desirable to eliminate possible rattlingof parts and therefore we do not wish to be limited to specify detailexcept so far as we limit ourselves in the claims. y f

i Referring to the form of Figure 9 the rock shaftvG is provided with terminal recurved portions G1 which are received, in bearing members G2 on the interiorof the hood. -It will beobserved that in the form herein shown no bearings are shown between the bearings G2 and the intermediate bearings G3 adjacent `the central portion of the rod. It will be understood that additional bearings maybe interposed if necessary. The recurved portion G1 is connected with the body of the rod by a short stretch G2 which, when taken in connection with the adjacent portions of the rod G, serves as a crank arm for engaging any suitablelatch abutments G5.

It will be realized that whereas we have described and shown a practical and operative device, nevertheless many changes might be made in the size, shape, number and disposition of parts without departing from the spirit of our invention. We therefore wish our description and drawings to be taken as in a broad` sense illustrative and diagrammatic rather than as limiting us to our specific showing. y 4 f f The use and operation of our invention are as follows:

In` securing the hinged hood portions of automobiles and plates, securing means are desirable which hold the hood firmly in position, which draw the lower edge ofthe hood downwardly, to hold it tight, and which also draw it inwardly orprevent it from outward movement. We have provided means for` effecting these results which are simple and efficient and which respond to the movement of a single handle member. Thishandle member, being preferably situated midway ybetween the-ends of the hood,'not only serves to control the hood latching/means, but also servesV as ahandleV Lfor lifting the hood when the latches are disengaged. We preferably employ a handle of somewhat Velongated form, to serve conveniently asra lifting as Well as .a `turning means. "We preferably so proportion the parts that the handle `C1 .is in generally horizontal position. when Vthe latch members B1 are disengaged. Y* We find it convenient .to limit the rotation of the handle to an arc of180 degrees, whereby the handle is also in horizontal. position when the hood is latched.

In order to provide simple means for latching the hood in position we employ a rock shaft the ends of which may be bentI or deformed to form crank arms or the equivalent of crank arms. v In other words somel part of the rock shaft, preferably the ends Yin so `far offset from the center of rotation of the body of the 'rock shaft, that rotation of the rock shaft imparts such movement to the endL or ends as will cooperate with a latch abutment to have the desired locking effect.v f

Referring for example to Figure 4c' or5,we employ latch abutments B2, which be mounted on the membersA4 and which are provided with surfaces or edgesB3 upwardly and inwardly inclined. In response to a locking rotation of the handle C1 the crank ends of the rock shaft are given what in Figures l and `wonld'be a clockwise rotation.' They engage the inclined surfaces Bsand the result is a `camming effect whereby further rotation ofthe rock `shaft tends to draw `the lower edge of the hood both inwardly and downwardly. VThe shaft being flexible and being provided with relatively long spaces whichV are free `from restricting bearings, a certain spring action or play is'permitted which adds to the locking effect and at VVthe same f withaminimium of undesired play or spring, ,v l Y n Y adfditional?crankl associated wlthjthei'froekf i *3 anda freedoml'fromrattling.

- i tlmfeacmripens'ates for irregularities land? prei Vents'undue strain on anyspartfnigthe;degV

` said rock; fshaftf,'adapted torengagetheabntsucienbl ngthf tope gage rthe 1c'rankann'sfrB1 .reasonable'wange This pro.' Vides: forruregularitisl dimension and I forni of the Various parts and also yfor ire t regularities in assembly of the parts. The

member B12 serves as; anupperstop'to pre- I .31 Vent any possible 'overriding of vthe t crank v arms B1 over the inclinedvedgeBs. t

' In vsome circumstances it may be ydesirable f 4to employ additional meansfor limiting'theV outward movementof the lower edge'of their hood In such case we mayprovidethe op- 'posed members Dl and D2 whereby, when the",` Y yhood is in the positionl in which it is shown Y in'Figure 4 it is yheldla'g'ainst outward move'- mentand the mainfunction ofthe latchingA 29 means then is to draw thelower ,edge'of the lhood down andto prevent rattleiorplayf vThe recurlved formoflcranl;y arm vshownfin Q' fFigure 9wefindto'be 'particularly advanta-` geousowingto'the fact that thebearings for Y j 26the ends ofthe rock shaft may be generally L f f aligned with the fpointffof engagement ofv the v` crank arms and the abutmentk edges G5; The

` :resultis a particularly lirm locking effect .We illustrate, asin Figures 2 and 3, means., e e namely the depressionBWfor more or less locking the cam injlatching position although this lockingefe'iiect is insuflicientto preventl lf3' ready manual-movement of the handle C1;

Al. A latching device for-anautomobile hood which includes 4a -pluralitybf latch.r` n i. l

1. hood', adapted? to draw I the, llbwer edge of a double hinged :hood eloslreivdownwardyfand inwardly inte engagement? with opposed rrrportions automobil 1whithii'licll'gltl'e's#a rock shaftfmountedi @nath e'fthe .Y

abutments Apositioned within Ithe -hood Aand laterally inwardly spaced therefrom when the hood is in closed position,a rock shaft adapted to be supported"upon-ythnterior uof said hood, said'shaft yhaving any intermediate offset portion, a cam member, adapted to engage said olsetportion, rotatably mount- "edwithin and upon the hoodfan exterior Y`handle adapted to rotate `said `cam member,

Y and 4portions adapted tol engage said latch abutments, and means, associated with'said y cammember, adapted tov yprevent retrograde rotation of the rock shaft in responseto pres- Y sure vthereagainst, saidl means including'v a lateral extension of `said camadapte'd to g V1n lockingl position, said lateral extension,

and the portion of the offset.l opposed there-V to, beingin general parallelism with the rock shaft. l

A2.`A latchingy device for anfautomobile shaft; said'l cam 'memberbimli zont'al cranks associated with-'smdfrnlz .shaft,"teamIl members 'positioned within handleshattipiyotedfto thefciesnreandacam l assoc-rated Withsaid handlefshaft, withinthe j gage and rotate saidy last mentioned' rank l shaftycamf within closure' .for engagement withsai'dfbrank Y cranks bengncmally ataltimes nlaa relatie'ifis'liipi withsaidcm membersl cclosure"isl locked, saideranks' adapmi, c

overlie'saidoffset portion,y when the' device is f an offset lportion, intermediate thevendsV ofV portion and an exterior handle'fnrf rn'ta'ting said cam,.' cnank'fmembers iassoeated. with ments. in1 'responsel to f rotation of' the o daptedftn v econelusion override said? osetlpbrtion /at t ofthe cammingaexcursiomnd tooek itin -p osition iruwardly` into engagementipwith the?V portions ofi the automobile, whicliiiwhldesfa rock'r'shaftimonnted on the-winner' fatof the: clbsure for-:rotation `about. ai" generali '",lcni-l closure* for engagement? with said crmks,

andfinwardly" against-tha oppnsedk Zontalf 1a s response toth'ei-r: engagement with Y members, todrawthe lnwerfedgenftlie heed i clesure-Ldownwardlyffandi inivvardl'ryrfmtg1wianst`'y I ,meansor-rotatingsaaderanks.into cmmngl'rn n v lack,ing[enga,gernentwthffthezearn.nuemlizlslss,V nllidiiganaddfitional crnk'assoeiated with Y `iiherrcl:shaftealhandslseeadzeriorntn:the Y sure,ahaiiller shatfpivotedto tlreclsurelamd if;v

theirlopposed pnr'tions ef the! antcnsebileg,andV

achim asseeiatedwithrsairl' hedlefshnzft-,rwitllu if-nfthe'y closure'saidnearmbeing;mapted L teen-gage and;` retate'saixi' lastzumenticned fresponsegti rotatioitf andthehaneeshaaememeanslonrrmt i Y hood,- 1 adapted; to draw the..lowerifedge aida; L Yfdinllolehinged:hoolil Vclosure. downwardlyhdd ing* retrograde rotation o'lthe `.rock `shaft when in locking position. f

5; A latching device JforY any automobile hood, adaptedvto draw the'lower'edge of a double hinged hood closure downwardly and inwardly yinto engagement with the opposed limit of its movement, and 1t in such position.

positively to lock Signed at Chicago, county of Cook and State of Illinois,

portions of the automobile, which includes a rock shaft mounted on the inner face of the closure .for rotation about a generally horizontal axis, cranks associated withsaid rock `shaft,`c`aml members positioned within said closurefor engagement with said cranks, said cranks being normally at all times in camming relationship with said cam members when u the closure is locked, said cranks being adapted,.in response to their engagement with the cam' members, to draw the lower edge of the hood r4closure downwardly and inwardly against the opposed portions of the automobile, and means for rotating said cranks into camminglocking engagement with the cam members,including an` additional crank associated with the rock shaft, a handle exterior to the closure, a handle shaft pivoted to the closure and acam associated with saidrhandleshaft, `within the hood closure, said cam being adapted to engage and rotate. said last mentioned crank in response to rotation of the handle andl the handle shaft, and means for inwardly. into engagement with the opposed portionsof the automobile, which includes a rock yshaft mounted on the inner face of the closure forr'otation about a generally horizontal axis, cranks associated with said rock shaft, canrmembers positioned within said closure fonengagement with said cranks,

Vsaid cranks being normally at alltimes in camming"relationshipl with said cam mem berswhen; theclosure is locked, said" cranks being adapted, in response ,to their engagement with the cam members,to draw the lower edge ofthe .hood closure downwardly and inwardlyy against the opposed portions of the automobile, and means for .rotating said cranks into eamming locking engagement with the cam members, including a handle `mem-ber,mountedexteriorly of kthe hoodclosure, a shaft therefor rotatably mounted upon the closure, a cam member associated with said. shaft and positioned within the closure, the rock shaft being provided with. an offset cam portion opposed to said cam member, the cam member being. adapted to over-ride and engage the oiset cam portion of the rock shaft whenthe rockshaft is rotated to the extreme f this 7 thday of May, 1929. NORTON A. MEARS. DIBRELL `1:". `I-IYNESl 

